Improvement in bee-hives



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVA E. ELLIS, OF FRIENDSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,624, dated October 9, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVA E. ELLIS, of Friendsville,Wabash county, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Bee- Hive; and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull, clear, and exact description there of, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs,formin g part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of myinvention, taken in the line 00 m, Fig. 2, Fig. 2, arear view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention has for its object the con structin g of a bee-hive in such a manner that perfect ventilation will be obtained.

The body or case A of the hive may be of quadrilateral form and of any suitable dimensions.

B is a bottom, fitted in the case A, near its lower end, and having an opening in it, covered with wire-cloth a. This bottom B rests upon cleats I), attached to the sides of the case A, so as to admit of the bottom being readily removed when necessary, as in hiving bees, for instance. Below this bottom B there are fitted in the case A, on central pivots or journals c, slats O, which maybe turned by means of cranks d at one end, to form a close or tight partition or flooring, or turned so as to be more or less inclined, or in a vertical position, to admit air into. the lower part of the case in greater or less volume, as may be desired.

D is a horizontal partition, which rests on cleats e, secured to the sides of the case A, so that it may be readily removed when required. This partition D divides the case A into two compartments, E E, the upper one, E, being the breeding and provision chamber, access to which is had by means of an inclined tube, F, which extends from the partition D down through the lower compartment, E, and through the lower part of the front side of case A, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, the lower end or orifice of F being provided with a slide, by which its capacity may be diminished or the orifice entirely closed when desired.

At two opposite sides of partition D there are made openings e, the object of which will be presently explained; and at the rear of the compartment E there is a flap or door, f, hinged at its lower end, so that it may be let down when access is required to said compartment. At the rear of the compartment E there is a slide, G, which covers a piece of glass, g, inserted in the case. By moving this slide the condition 'of the bees, state of the combs, &c., in E may be inspected.

On the top of the case A there is secured by one or more hinges, h, a cap, H, formed of three sides, the open side being closed by a flap, I, the lower end of which is hinged to the top of the case A. This flap I is secured in a closed state by means of a screw, i, passing through the top of the cap H into the top of the flap I. (See Fig. 1.)

0n the top of the case A there is placed a board or plate, j, which serves as a bottom for cap H, and on which one or more spare-honey boxes, 70, are placed, an opening, Z, being made in j for the bees to pass through, said opening being covered by a slide, on, when desired.

In hivin g bees the latter pass into the lower compartment, E, the bottom being removed, the slats 0 turned to a vertical position, and the flap or door f also opened, if desired. The bees pass up through the openings 0 into compartment E. These same openings also admit of air passing up into E. A

At two opposite sides of the case A there are attached horizontal bars a n, which serve as supports for the flap I and cap H when the same are opened.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The pivoted slats (J at the bottom of the case A of the hive, in connection with the bottom B, provided with an opening covered with wire-cloth a, and the openings 6 in the sides of the partition D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 31st day of March, 1866.

WM. R. WILKINSON. 

